Meme Drabbles
by Liebelit
Summary: Some drabbles for a meme I found in deviantart. Cain/Glitch (one Cain/Ambrose).
1. Lookout

AN: This are some drabbles for a Cain/Glitch writer's meme I found in deviantart, and since the creator didn't say anything about not posting the writing anywhere else, I'll leave it here as well :) Here's the blank meme art/Cain-and-Glitch-meme-112010063

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1. 1. It's lookout switch time. What do they say to each other while switching?

"Alright then," Glitch said animatedly as he gave one last glance around their small camp, "the fire's low but steady, I have a stick if I need to poke it, and... time!" He brought his hand down in the air as if stopping an invisible clock and took a blanket and a stick in hand as he made his way to the other side of fire.

Cain watched Glitch's enthusiastic display from across the camp; sitting down on a soft patch of ground and leaning against a tree. This would be their first real camp on their own since being cooped up in DeMilo's wagon, and even though it had barely been six hours since the suns had gone down, Glitch had apparently decided it was already lookout switch time. Lifting his hat a little, Cain looked up to see a determined headcase standing steadfastly at his side.

"Move over, tin man," he said as he nudged Cain's leg lightly with the tip of his foot, "It's my turn to keep watch! Go to sleep."

"What if I'm not sleepy?" Cain asked, not breaking eye contact with Glitch as he tugged the blanket from his grasp and draped it over his own lap. "And what if I don't want to move over? I was here first."

"Oh come on, this tree's big enough for the both of us!" Glitch said, promptly plunging down next to him. He tried to make a dive for a space on the ground beside Cain but, Glitch being Glitch, his aim was more than just a bit off and he swiftly ended up halfway across Cain's lap instead.

"Oof!" After seeing the position he was in, Glitch's discomfort at his miscalculated landing faded away to embarrassment and a blush crept to his cheeks.

"Sorry," he muttered quickly as he slipped off of Cain—who hadn't uttered a single sound or made the slightest of moves save to lower his hat over his eyes—and went to sit beside him as he had originally planned. His back was left without almost any support though, since Cain hadn't moved an inch.

"Cain? Cain? Cain?" Sometimes he really didn't know if Glitch was glitching or just trying to annoy him, "Did I break you?" the headcase ask when he still didn't respond, this time poking him in the ribs with the stick of wood.

"Or are you already asleep?" Glitch teased, looking at his shadowed eyes as he kept jabbing at him. When the hard, ragged, pointy edge of the stick was replaced by a soft thin finger, Cain was quick to grab his friend's wrist and pull him for a quick peck on the lips; his lowered fedora's shadow covering the kiss.

"Cain? Cain? Ca—" Cupping his hand on the back of Glitch's neck, Cain stopped what was now definitely a glitch with another, slower kiss.

"Sleep tight, sweetheart."

"But—but it was my turn to be on the lookout! _You_ should go to sleep."

"I told you I'm not tired. You on the other hand..."

"I am not—" A yawn betrayed whatever Glitch was going to say, and he quickly clasped a hand over his mouth to suppress any other treacherous sounds. Eyes wide, cheeks slightly flushed, and hands over his mouth in an almost comically woeful manner, Cain couldn't help but think Glitch looked... adorable like this. Hiding a small smile he tugged his friend forward again, this time to lie down on his lap, and covered him with the half of the blanket that wasn't tucked under him.

"You're not what now?" Cain asked teasingly, sliding his thumb across Glitch's cheek.

"Well, I'm _not_." Glitch said resolutely, even as he turned on his side to face Cain, or rather his torso, "So what now, tin man?"

"I suppose we can just keep watch together, sweetheart."

Cain had meant it. If Glitch really wasn't tired then he wouldn't have minded spending the night with a quirky, loving, ridiculously optimistic, chatty headcase talking excitedly on his lap; and he had spent a good hour or two doing just that. But long before the suns rose to signal the new day, Cain found himself gently holding onto the slim form of Glitch, who was now fast asleep.


	2. Captured and Rescued

2. 2. Ohh noes! The longcoats have captured one of them. Who and how are they saved?

Cain stumbled but was able to narrowly catch his footing after being thrown into the dark cell. The stone walls surrounding him felt uncomfortably close in the depths of the tower's dungeon, and he quickly turned around to face the lone longcoat that stood on the other side of the iron bars. The other two that had been there as they manhandled him into the cell had walked away, this one only staying to taunt Cain as he turned his fedora around in his hands.

"Nice hat," he said with an impish grin, "I think I'll keep it."

As he left and walked down the dim corridor, Cain growled under his breath and slumped against the bars, wondering why every time he was captured by longcoats they always took his hat; it wasn't the first time and he had a feeling it wouldn't be the last. Though as much as he liked his hat, there were more pressing matters at hand. He had to get out of here and find Glitch. Then they could find the princess as they had originally planned before getting caught despite their shiny leather disguise.

His mind whirled in worry at the thought of what his friends could be going through right now in dark cells like this one, and his instinct and need to protect and rescue them overwhelmed the feelings of claustrophobia and helplessness that his own imprisonment caused him. He ran his hands along the cold ragged walls, searching around the bars for any hinges, or loose openings, or _something_ he could use to escape. He was inspecting a rusted, flimsy-looking rod when he saw a flash of leather and a familiar hat out of the corner of his eye.

Stepping back further into the cell, he took his razor from where it was hidden on him; they had taken his hat and gun but had forgotten to look in the not so obvious places. As the approaching footsteps echoed down the hall, Cain prepared to attack the longcoat and make his escape. When the hat-wearing, leather-clad silhouette entered his sight, Cain launched himself at the bars and—

Stopped his attack mid-swing of the blade as he noticed the longcoat wasn't a longcoat after all.

"_Glitch?_"

"Delivery for a Wyatt Cain!" Glitch announced happily as he handed him his holster and gun through the bars before turning around with a quizzical look and pulling random levers until he got the right one. The bars of his cell lifted and Cain stood before Glitch when the other man turned to face him.

"But—how?" Cain sputtered, "They took you too and they were so many, and the one that just took my hat was so _big_—I thought—"

"It's all about rhythm, remember?" his friend said with a cheeky smile,

_And so it was..._ "Fine," Cain frowned, "Now give me back my hat; it's my hat."

"Oh alright," Glitch said as took off the hat and swiftly planted a firm kiss on Cain's lips,

"Now come on," he said, placing the famous hat on Cain's head before walking away and leaving him behind; dumbfounded and rooted to the floor. "We have cells to search and a princess to find!"

"Um, Glitch?"

"Yeah?"

"The rest of the dungeon is that way."


	3. Sunset

2. The day is ending and there is a beautiful sunset. What do they do?

"Dad, want to play a round?" Jeb called out to him, waiving an odd ball D.G. had brought from the Other Side and going on about a game the youngest princess was teaching him and Azkadellia.

"Not right now, son. Maybe later," Cain said as he walked away from the central area of their little picnic on the riverbank and headed over to where Glitch sat against a tree.

As it was at the moment, the three younger members of their party were playing D.G's game on the edge of the river while the Queen and her consort talked privately in the gazebo, and Raw and Kalm hunted their own diner in the woods nearby. Only Glitch seemed to be without something to do, Cain having just fished contently in the river for hours and having his fill of fun for the day, so he thought maybe the headcase could use some company.

"Hey," he said as he sat down next to Glitch and casually wrapped an arm around his slim shoulders, "What are you doing all the way over here on your own?"

"Just," Glitch sighed softly, leaning into Cain, "looking at the sky."

"Wouldn't you rather go for a walk? Or maybe..." he looked down at Glitch suggestively, thinking of the famous spread of lakes at Finaqua, "take a dip with me in a lake later if the water's not too cold?"

"Nope! I want us to stay just like this." He said, putting his own arm around Cain's brawny waist and looking up at the overhead skies, "Just look at that."

Cain complied and turned his gaze to whatever had Glitch so entranced. The suns were low in the sky as the day came to an end and countless clouds stood out against the expanse of blue and the colors of the sunset. Low, rounded clouds heaped together to frame the edge of the mountains far away, while the thinner clouds above seemed to expand into lines and ripples, giving a depth to the sky that Cain couldn't remember ever seeing before. It seemed that even something as mundane as the setting of the suns was enhanced and enchanted in Finaqua; everything made more beautiful by the sky's reflection on the water's surface.

"I want to swim in the sky," Glitch said suddenly, voicing in his very Glitch-like way what Cain was thinking,

"I don't know about the sky, sweetheart," Cain said, tightening his arm around Glitch before rising to his feet, "but there's a lot of nice lakes around here that look like pretty much the same thing."


	4. What If?

1. What if Glitch never lost his brain? How would things be different between him and Cain?

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There were times when Ambrose was delighted Cain worked at the palace.

The advisor's uniform was hastily undone, almost ripped apart, as Cain pressed him up against the wall.

"Really, Captain," Ambrose gasped as the other man found that spot on his neck and bit down hard, "a storage closet is hardly an adequate place for men of our status to meet."

"It'll do," Cain murmured against the advisor's neck, wrapping his arms around his waist under the opened great coat and drawing him close for a kiss.

Their kisses—their embraces, their interactions of any kind—were never sweet. And this, like every other, grew heated and desperate as Cain's hands trailed down his sides; touching every inch with eager fingers. He reached below Ambrose's belt and unfastened his pants quickly before he grabbed firmly under his thighs and slid him up the wall, grinding their hips together. Ambrose clung to him. The captain's short blond hair was soft under his touch as he enfolded his arms around wide shoulders, his legs around a sturdy waist, and delved further into the kiss. Breathing was always the last thing on Ambrose's mind when they were like this.

When Cain's rough pace sped up along with the pressure in him and both of them neared their end, Ambrose clung to him; drawing his arms tighter around his neck and holding onto the moment.

.o.o.o.

There were times when Cain was satisfied with his decision to work at the palace.

He had only been a boy, barely eighteen and fresh out of the academy when he had been given the offer on his instructor's recommendation. At the time, there had been nothing tying him down to his old life or to the city; save for his duty as a Tin Man. But he had no commitment to stay for his parents, and he had no wife or husband or even a lover to stay behind for. So he had taken the offer that same day.

The job could get boring but the pay was great. The palace life could get lonely but at least the staff was always there for a game of cards or a quick exchange of words. The best thing though, the reason Cain loved making that decision most of all, was a certain advisor he had met.

Cain watched as Ambrose fastened the many claps of his red coat, wishing they could stay here longer, as cramped and dark as it was, and not have to return to their lives just yet.

"See you tomorrow night?" he took hold of the smaller man's chin and kissed his dark lips,

"Hmm," Ambrose considered, "No. I have a meeting with the Queen and an ambassador from the south."

He finished dressing quickly and made himself presentable again before slowly opening the door only to a crack and peering outside. When he was satisfied there was no one in the hall who might see them, he pushed the door open the rest of the way and stepped out.

"Oh, but Wyatt?" he said sensually, looking over his shoulder at a bewitched Captain of the Guard, "I'm all yours if you're free at noon."

.o.o.o.

There were times when Ambrose would have rather Cain didn't work at the palace.

He was an excellent captain, there was no doubt about that, and the sex was great; that definitely wasn't the problem. But sometimes he asked for too much.

"Would you have dinner with me?"

"I told you," Ambrose said after swallowing a piece of pie, "I'm meeting with the Queen—"

"I didn't mean tonight," Cain said slowly, "Just... whenever we're both available; just the two of us."

"Isn't lunch enough for you?"

The terrace they were in had been cleared out for their use and they were free to do as they pleased in privacy. At the moment, there was no need to act officially, no urgency to their company, and no rush to get back to real life; and it was moments like these that gave Ambrose the most apprehension. It was in moments like these that Cain would try to kiss him just a little too softly for his taste, and would even try to call him loving pet names that he didn't want. It was in moments like these that Ambrose realized maybe Cain wasn't right for him, maybe he wasn't right for Cain.

"Ambrose..." Cain reached out across the table and took his hand, "Swee—"

"I told you not to call me that." Ambrose said pointedly,

"I just wanted—"

"More." Ambrose finished for him, drawing his hand back, "You always want more."

"I just want to be with you," Cain scoffed and leaned back on his chair, "without having to run off secretly at odd hours of the night, or hide in a goddamn closet. Why is that so unacceptable?"

"Because you're Captain of the Guard and I'm the Royal Advisor." Ambrose answered logically, "We both have duties that we can't ignore, and our vows exist for a reason." Pushing his plate of unfinished food away, Ambrose stood to leave. Cain drew his chair back and followed him, taking him by the arm before he could run off.

"We wouldn't be ignoring anything, Ambrose." He could see the want in Cain's eyes when the captain turned him around in his grip, "Why won't you just give me a chance to prove that?"

"Because I don't want to."

Cain let go of his arm.

"If you ever want to have another tour of the palace's many storage quarters, you're welcome to come and find me. But until then, Captain, I suggest you go have dinner alone and stop asking me for things I can't give."

.o.o.o.

There were times when Cain regretted his decision to work at the palace.

He walked down the stone hall in the outer wing of the palace as the suns set, and crossed paths with a certain advisor.

"Good afternoon, Captain." Ambrose said with a polite, distant nod, walking by him without a second glance.

"Good afternoon, Advisor."

Whenever they went back to step one and that cold, indifferent tone crept into their voices, Cain thought that maybe he had made the wrong choice all those years ago. Maybe Ambrose wasn't right for him; maybe he wasn't right for Ambrose. It was true that he wanted more than just a quick fuck in a closet, and that he wanted Ambrose to be more than just a stranger he happened to have sex with. Just as he realized it was true that the advisor wasn't the person he wanted.

Sometimes Cain wondered how things would have turned out if he had stayed in Central City and had just been a tin man. Maybe he would have met a nice boy or girl who wasn't bound by unending "duties and vows" as Ambrose was and settled down. If he hadn't taken the offer to work at the palace, they would have given it to Zero. Since he was second in his class through as much mischief as talent, Cain doubted Zero would have been captain by now... probably second in command, if he learned to behave. But maybe _he_ would have been better suited to Ambrose's tastes. And maybe Cain wouldn't have ended up with someone who never smiled at him in public; someone he never called sweetheart.


	5. Bakery

I realized that I ended up accidentally doing that "in the United States" thing as well, sorry XD And I have no idea why I wanted to throw in a tiny bit of Christmas in this :3

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5. Glitch finds a bakery and forgets to meet the others at the hotel and Cain goes to look for him. In what state does he find Glitch? (and no, I don't mean like the United States...)

Countless shoulders bumped against his as Cain walked down the streets of New York.

No one complained or said sorry to him, or even acknowledged him at all when they almost slammed into him. DG had warned him about this; that it was a big city and this was just how things were around here. But Cain had been a tin man for a decade, he had lived in large cities, and not even in Central were people like this. He decided it was an Otherside thing. Whatever the case was, his heart raced at the thought of Glitch lost in this massive traffic of rude othersiders.

Cain still couldn't believe he was missing in the first place. It had all been DG's idea. She had gathered the five of them one day, taking Azkadellia and Jeb by the hand while she sat Raw, Glitch, and him down, and had decided that it had been too long since she had traveled not only to the Otherside but _in_ the Otherside; and that they should all go with her. Everything had been fine until today, when there had been an unexpected flow of people down in the 'subway' and they had all been separated. Everything _should _have been okay. They all knew the directions to the hotel; there were signs everywhere and every street was efficiently labeled. But when he had finally made it back to their rooms, everyone had been there except Glitch.

Of course, the most obvious explanation was that he had just forgotten; save for the fact that Cain had been up with him all night making sure he knew the address and had even marked the way on a map that they had tucked in Glitch's coat just in case.

So what had happened? Cain kept wondering this as he turned a corner, simultaneously keeping an eye on the green sign posts and looking for dark curls and a coat lined in red. When an icy breeze blew past him, his concern grew and he hoped that wherever Glitch was that at least he was warm. At least he had his brand new Otherside clothes and bold coat. And the wool hat DG had bought him, a 'beanie', that covered his zipper. Cain really hoped he still had that on.

It was already getting dark and Cain had gotten nowhere. As night fell and Cain retracted his steps in the hopes of maybe running into Glitch on the way back, bright colorful lights and jovial music took over the streets. He could see smiling faces as he passed by random shops and hear laughter and songs of cheer coming from inside. It reminded him of something DG had told them about...a holiday from the Otherside; something about giving gifts and spending time with your loved ones.

He was near the hotel again now, but Cain kept walking, absorbed in his mission to find Glitch; paying more attention to the people in the streets than to where he was heading.

"Watch out!" Cain was startled when a hand shot out and grabbed him, stopping him from walking blindly straight into the lethal surge of ugly yellow cars.

"You should look where you're going," a kid about Jeb's age said, and then strode away on a board with wheels when the pedestrian light turned green.

Still more than a little shaken up—over almost being run over while only thinking of Glitch being out here alone—Cain let out a shaky breath he didn't know he had been holding. Closing his eyes for a moment, he stood motionless on the painted sidewalk as people walked past him on either side. If he was a headcase—if he was _Glitch—_ Cain thought, where would he be? Where would he go?

Somewhere off to his right, he heard the jazzy tones of another song play as a waft of warm air hit him. He took a deep breath, getting ready to move on and keep walking, when a sweet smell he had grown used to having at home reached him and stopped him in his tracks.

Apples.

Cain's eyes snapped open as he thought he might just know where his missing headcase was. And when he broke from the new wave of people surrounding him in the sidewalk and walked through the opened door to the shop in the corner, he was thankfully greeted by the sight of a familiar slim figure in a coat lined in red.

Glitch was facing away from him, beanie fortunately still in place, slumped against a glass counter that displayed an assortment of pastries in various rows. As the merry, jazzy music played on in the background, Cain silently approached Glitch, who hadn't noticed him and was completely focused on the sweet aroma of some baked apple goods coming from somewhere behind the counter. Cain was taking pleasure on sneaking up behind the zipperhead and thinking of giving him a fright for what he had made him go through all day. But before he could reach him—just as a young woman appeared behind the counter, holding a tray with freshly baked apple pie—Glitch's knees gave out and he sank down to the floor.

"Glitch!" Cain gave up his plans of revenge for later and hurried to kneel at Glitch's side, cupping a hand on his pale cheek. Glitch was lying on his back, wriggling and mumbling weakly; his eyes tightly shut. Until finally, he seemed to register that he wasn't alone anymore and blinked open his chocolate eyes, peering up at Cain.

"Glitch? You okay, sweetheart?"

"Ugh," Glitch groaned, closing his eyes again and placing his own hand over Cain's on his cheek, "I've died and gone to heaven."

Cain couldn't help but smile and shake his head at the sight of Glitch sprawled on the floor under him, and the remnants of the many pastries he had undoubtedly eaten that tinted his lips.

"I was wondering if anyone was looking for him," the girl behind the counter said, dragging Cain away from his thoughts, "He seemed a little lost when he came in." She giggled and started putting away the new batch of pies inside the glass counter. Looking around the small bakery, Cain realized that they were the only ones there at the moment; he supposed the last person in here beside Glitch had been the one that had opened the door a few moments ago. Apart from that, he noticed all the empty spaces where pastries would have been; and remembered the emergency money DG had given to each of them with an inward groan.

"What did he have? How many?" he asked the girl,

"Um, everything."

"I was waiting for the apple pie," Glitch explained all of a sudden, drawing Cain's attention back to him, "I was... going somewhere..."

"The hotel?" Cain supplied, "You've had us looking for you all day. You could have gotten seriously lost or hurt out here. What were you thinking? If anything—"

"Will you let me finish?" Glitch said indignantly, "I was walking there when suddenly I caught a whiff of the sweetest baked apples in this world! So I ran in here but they had just sold the last of them. I was waiting for more and... uh," he laughed nervously, "I guess I lost track of time."

"You think?" Cain said, while the girl finished with the items on the tray and walked back into the other room, "So you decided to come in here and eat everything?"

"Mhm," Glitch nodded faintly as Cain leaned closer,

"And were planning to eat more?" Cain raised an eyebrow, leaning only inches above Glitch and slipping a hand up his striped shirt. Quickly glancing back up and making sure they really were alone, Cain leaned in the rest of the way to Glitch and covered his mouth with his own; plunging into a sugary flavored kiss as he splayed his hand over Glitch's smooth stomach.

"Mm, Cain," Glitch said, cupping the back of his neck and staring intently at him when they broke the kiss, "Don't do that here; you know what it does to me..."

"Then let's go back to the hotel."


End file.
